Sphere Media has announced a new collaboration with Mojumbi Entertainment for its latest new project, "Rock Girl." The move serves as an extension of an exisitng partnership between the two companies, through which the popular kids’ series "Riley Rocket" was developed for Ontario public broadcaster TVOKids.“I have had the honour of collaborating on some of the world’s most successful kids’ shows, from Dora to Hannah Montana," Mojumbi co-founder Matthew Gerard said. "But what most people don’t know is that Mladen and I were on the brink of success as the next Bon Jovi back in the Eighties, just as the world lost its love for big haired rock ‘n’ roll. Now, thanks to Sphere, we’ve been given a chance to create our own time machine and go back to save our own rock ‘n’ roll dreams. And this time we’re turning it up to 11!”
In "Rock Girl," a development that sees Sphere building on its children’s content catalogue by creating new YA scripted ideas, eras collide as the universe time-drifts from today’s world back to the 1980s, when electric-guitar solos ruled the radio waves. “After a period of what might be diplomatically described as ‘change’, Sphere Media’s engines are starting to purr very nicely. What excites me is the range, scope and ambition of our output," Sphere Media’s president, unscripted, kids and family English content Marlo Miazga said. "From last month’s Peabody Award for our gender-identity dramady Sort Of through our diverse factual-entertainment development slate to our very own musical time machine for young adults, we’re delivering on every level.”
The live-action musical series is aimed at children aged eight-to 12-years-old. It is an original creation from award-winning composers and producers Matthew Gerrard and Mladen Alexander of Mojumbi Entertainment who are currently collaborating with Sphere Media on the 30-part recently greenlit animated comedy/adventure series "Riley Rocket" for TVOKids. It show musical misfit Stevie Simone, who just wants to rock. Then, on her 16th birthday, she’s given a vintage guitar that has the power to bring rock ‘n’ roll back, so long as she promises to believe in herself and NOT TOUCH THE RED SWITCH! The temptation is too much. Stevie flips the switch — and flips herself back to 1984 and into whole new reality, where she discovers she’s the rock star she always dreamed she’d be but that no dream comes without a cost and that’s when the real adventure start.
Matthew Gerrard is a composer and producer who has worked with such international stars as Kelly Clarkson, Miley Cyrus, Cher and Hilary Duff. He has contributed songs to the multiple-platinum soundtracks for Hannah Montana and the blockbuster High School Musical franchise. His theme song for Dora and Friends: Into the City won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Original Song. Mladen Alexander is an award-winning producer, musician and songwriter who has been signed to, among others, Paramount Pictures, Sony Music, EMI, Chrysalis, KOCH, Pony Canyon and Anthem Music Publishing. His television and film credits include Disney's Pixel Perfect, Canadian teen drama franchise Degrassi and award-winning TV drama The Matthew Shepard Story.